Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-07
s'The Curve Mountain Cut" "

reminds me OF story OF Olden times
and which / will relate for the bene-
fit of our readers. At the time it was
told l remember it had been showing
steadily all day long, not in a bois-
ferrous tempestuOus way, but quietly
and persistently, as if the feathery
flakes which were rapidly piling them
selves one upon the other on the froz-
en- ground had come for long stay.
Toward night the wind began to rise,
and when the darkness settled down
a moderate winters storm was rag
ing.
We were waiting in the little sta
ton at L-for the down train,
telegraphed an hour and a half be-
hind time, and were endeavoring to
keep warm around the small air-tight
stove which served as the only heat
ing medium in the low-studded apart
ment. Lis a place of little i'm
pOrtance except as a railroad centre,
for here two trunk lines cross each
other, and it is also the point where
locomotives are changed on the diff
ferent trains. With the exception
of the hustle and excitement incident
to junction station, there was little
to attract a tourist, and the few nat
ural charms the place possessed at
that time were hidden beneath the
soft covering of snow. So the wea-
ry walters were forced by dearth of
amusement, as well as the storm, to
while away the time as best they
could in the dingy depot. The diff
ferent timetables were perused, the
advertisements scrutinized, all
to no purpose, for the hands of the
monotonous ticking clock crept
around the dial with that tardy pace
peculiar to railroad time-pieces when
waiting for a belated train.
u0 cOuuuCIOI WHO WIS W t-~hS
charge of the train came to warm his
hands by the little stove, and soon
the party was increased by the en-
gineer, whose machine could be dim
ly seen far down the track, ready for
its expected charge.
bad night, Bob," said the con-
ductor. ''Better come in and warm
up. She won't be here for an hour
yet
The engineer made some reply, land
joined the circle around the stove.
He was a man of slight build, droop-
ing shoulders, and perhaps not up to
the average height. Rather effemin-
ate at first sight, until one noticed
the square, firm chin, the quick,
steady eyes, and the lines about the
mouth which showed that beneath
that calm face and quiet manner, lay
the will both to do and dare. He
had been selected especially to run
this night express on account of the
danger of the position, for the down
train was frequently late, and the
lost time must be made up before
reaching the end of the road in order
to make connections. Time and
again but the GOODNESS and judgment
of the engineer had brought this
train to its destination in safety, and
Bob Jennings, as he was called, had
been remarkably fortunate, and had
never met with a serious accident.
The running of the two trains up to
land back to the city, constitut-
ed his days work. The position was
a responsible one, the remuneration
good, and the "job,'' as they termed
it, was looked upon with eyes of envy
by Bob's fellow engineers.
After some minutes passed in con-
yersation between the engineer and
the conductor, the latter suddenly
remarked:
"How was it, Bob, that you hap
pened to get this express? The super
intendent of the P. & O, helped you
to it, didn't he, on account of the af-
fair up in the mountains? Tell us
about it.
Eyes, yes,' spoke up several who
had overheard the conversation. "Let
us hear the story by all means"
'sWel, boys" said Bob, as he bit
off a generous piece and deposited
the quid lovingly in his mouth, sit
amt much of a yarn, howsomever,
I'll tell it."
. Twas when | was running on
the Mountain Road, which hadn't
been agoin' morn couple of years.
You may perhaps be acquainted with
the line. She runs through the White
Mountain Notch, and is built on the
side of the hills. How they ever had
the spunk to start such road beats
me, for at first sight it seems next to
| hopeless to get around some of them
| short curves, to say nothing of the
big up-grades. Near Crawford's is
that spider-like Curve Mountain cut.
We lived in Portland then, Nell and
l. She is my wife, and we was as
happy as could be. The only draw
back was that every other night ]
had to take the late express up tc
Fabyan's. and come back next day
on the accommodation. Nell used
to be afraid to have me go, particu.
larly as the road was new and acci.
dents would happen in spite of all We
could do. kept telling her it was
safe enough, and the pay was good,
so I'd better stick to my place for {
while any way, though, to tell the